Your cover letter is your first opportunity to make a good impression.
If you include the following six essential messages, you are much more likely to get your resume past the initial screening whether it's a computer doing the job or a live person.
Make sure you say why you are sending a resume.
You would be amazed at how many people assume that the person opening the mail or email will know why you have sent your resume.
Never assume that the job you are applying for is so important that everyone in the company knows about it.
There may be several positions being advertised at the same time.
So identify right up front why your cover letter and resume have landed on that person's desk.
If a computer is performing the initial screening of applicants, including the keywords for the position and its job expectations in your explanation of why you are sending your resume will give you a solid chance of making it to a real person.
Share how you learned about the position.
Often, sharing how you learned about a job opening can get your foot in the door.
You may have met a company representative at a job fair.
You could let the company know that their internet posting introduced you to their company.
You may have been interested in working for the company for a long time.
Say so.
If there's a name to drop, weigh whether it would be a good idea to do so or not.
Give a reason to look at your resume.
Always mention your resume and the information it contains, but never quote it exactly.
Your cover letter is a place to highlight things that don't fit neatly into a resume format.
Use phrases like "As you will see in my resume...
" or "No resume can reflect...
" You want to tickle the reader's interest and get him or her to turn the page.
Include points from the job listing that prove your qualifications.
Take a careful look at the job posting.
Pick keyword phrases that were used in the posting.
Then weave them together in a new way.
The keywords will stand out while also demonstrating that you have paid close attention to what the employer is looking for.
Include a short summary of your soft skills.
Soft skills are important in the workplace.
A brief paragraph sharing this type of information will help the employer picture how you would fit into the company culture.
Answer questions implied by the job listing.
A job listing that says, "Hiring immediately," implies the question, "When can you start working?" A job listing that says, "On call," is asking whether you can be available for non-standard working hours.
Look for statements in the job listing that imply employer needs and let the employer know in your cover letter that you are prepared to fill those needs.
You want an interview.
Finally, never close a cover letter with making it clear that you want an interview.
Include your contact information in your closing paragraph and give the person a good reason to call or email you.
You want your cover letter to send all seven of these essential messages.
The messages can overlap each other and work together.
You work in some of your soft skills while describing how you learned about a position.
Your ultimate goal is to create a cover letter that's a good read and sends a strong message that you are worth contacting for an interview.